Way off topic-Charcoal BBQ grills.

allischalmers6 · Apr 24, 2013

New to BBQ grilling with charcoal and one thing I cant figure out is, if the side and top air opening are at full open will the charcoal burn hot or will it let all the heat out? Also curious what is your favorite marinade and BBQ sauce?

old · Apr 24, 2013

If you open the bottom vent and the top vent that causes a very hot box and extra fast burning of the charcoal. If you close off the bottom vent and leave to top open that makes a cooler cooking temp due to heat going out and the colas being cooler. Close it up tight you have higher heat and longer burning time.
As for spices and sauces I have recipes for many many of them.
When it warms up some and I have time I am going to finish building a smoker

Erik Ks farmer · Apr 24, 2013

I always cook with both the top and bottom vents open, once in awhile if it's real windy I close the top vent about half way once the coals start glowing red. I like Sweet Baby Ray's sauce.

magpiene · Apr 24, 2013

With both vents open, coals WILL BE HOT. With practice you can control heat just like your oven in the house. Charcoal is about all I use, we prefer the flavor. Can not help with a marinade, never use one.

RickieBlue · Apr 24, 2013

I use a small weber kettle grill and it is pretty airtight....as we all know, chicken will make a fire flare up real good but in the weber with bottom and top vents open it controls the heat pretty well and the chicken comes out nice.....when I am done, I just close the top and the charcoal will go out...so I use the left overs to start the next fire. The best way to start a charcoal fire is to use a big can cut open on both ends or a piece of stove pipe..set it on the grate..fill it with charcoal..add some starter..and light! Another topic down the road is my preference for hickory charcoal....I make my own charcoal..55 gallon drum at a time...I just got sick of trying to find charcoal in the stores..

pete black · Apr 24, 2013

you will need some venting to supply oxygen just so the charcoal will burn. typically vent under will help control heat under the grill, vent on top will control heat above grill; so, to grill meat, utilize bottom vent, to roast or smoke meat use top vent. again, some venting of both may be required so experiment.

Bill in IL · Apr 24, 2013

How does one make his own charcoal?

PJH · Apr 24, 2013

Adolph's marinade/tenderizer is good, but hard to find in our area. We like this recipe, but you may have been referring to ready made marinades.

Meat Marinade
1 1/2 cups salad oil
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 rounded tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
2 heaped teaspoons chopped parsley
4 cloves garlic, crushed

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in tightly covered jar in refrigerator or freeze if not used immediately. Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

This is taken out of one of my wife's cookbooks. We've used it a couple of times for big church cookouts, and everyone wanted a copy of the recipe. You'll enjoy your charcoal grill - it's my favorite type of grilling.

pete black · Apr 24, 2013

good question.

Dick2 · Apr 24, 2013

We are one of the fortunate ones that have a stove in the house, so we don't have to cook outdoors.

Seriously, why would anyone want to inject their food with all of those carcinogens from charcoal???? To much risk of cancer to do that!

Also, charcoal cooked food makes me sick even before the carcinogens kick in.

old · Apr 24, 2013

The way I understand doing that is this. You take wood cut it up into small pieces and then put them in a very close to air tight container that will not burn then heat it up real hot. Years ago when we would go see my grand parents in OK. we would drive by a charcoal plant where they did that and that is how it was explained to me. So basically you heat the wood up very hot but lack of oxygen makes it so it chars but does not burn

teddy52food · Apr 24, 2013

I agree with you. Years ago people cooked in doors and crapped outside. Now they cook outside & crap in the house.

teddy52food · Apr 24, 2013

You have to vent the gasses coming off the wood and they are very flamable. You can even run an engine with them.

old · Apr 24, 2013

That is if you read why I said not air tight but close as in VENT

Adirondack case guy · Apr 24, 2013

You two guys must be the center of attention at your friend's Sat. afternoon back yard BBQs. LOL
Loren, the Acg.

Dan T in MO · Apr 24, 2013

I drive way too fast to worry about cancer

PJH · Apr 24, 2013

I guess charcoal is charcoal. I saw them making it at Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, TN. Here's a web pic of their process.

If you google "Jack Daniels charcoal making" you'll get a lot of pics of how they do it.

We used to have a small charcoal plant about 10 miles from me near Murphysboro, Illinois. They had several big domes - they called them kilns - where they fired for charcoal. It always made me hungry when I drove by and they were firing.
Charcoal

Dean Olson · Apr 24, 2013

You control the temperature with the vents. If they're designed correctly you can let lots of air in and get it good and hot then when it's up to temp close them down. Most grills are poorly designed, on those build the fire off to the side so you can move the food away from the heat.

I prefer Pecan, Mesquite, or Oak wood, for BBQ and smoking. Better flavor and cheaper.

On tougher meats, brisket or roasts etc., I marinade in Italian dressing. Gives a good flavor and the vinegar and oil will help tenderize. Another marinade is equal parts of Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and safflower oil.

They're too many sauces to list. Find a cook book or get online to pick some you like.

On good cuts of meats we like Greek seasoning.

teddy52food · Apr 24, 2013

What's that? Why would you take a good piece of meat & make it taste funny?

Royse · Apr 24, 2013

Dean, I'll second the Italian dressing. I like the Zesty Italian.
It's particularly good on chicken.

ASEguy · Apr 25, 2013

I have a Weber kettle and love it. I leave the vents open and adjust the amount of charcoal based on what I'm cooking. I also leave a cooler zone used for indirect heat. Get a chimney for starting charcoal, the match light charcoal affects the taste of the meat.

Way off topic-Charcoal BBQ grills.

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads